Bulgarian Chess Is A Mess—Just Ask Its Top Female Player

There was a time when Bulgaria was one of Europe’s reliable chess factories. The country produced world-class grandmasters, Olympiad contenders, and, of course, the former World Champion GM Veselin Topalov.

For a nation of fewer than seven million people, Bulgaria has punched well above its weight on the chessboard for decades.

But Bulgarian chess, and even Topalov's achievements, have always had a tinge of chaos about them. Now again, Bulgarian chess is making headlines for the wrong reasons.

IM Nurgyul Salimova, the country's top female player and one of its brightest sporting stars, has warned that if a July 1 deadline isn't met for Bulgarian chess to heal a long-running administrative dispute, she may be forced to compete under a new flag.

Salimova, who captured the chess world’s attention with her remarkable run to the 2023 Women's World Cup final and later qualified for the Candidates Tournament, has become the public face of a crisis that has been simmering behind the scenes for years.

Bulgaria currently finds itself caught between two rival chess organisations—one recognised by FIDE and the European Chess Union, and another recognised by the country’s Ministry of Sport.

The schism started when the original Bulgarian Chess Federation (BCF) was suspended by FIDE and the ECU in 2016, for alleged for financial misconduct and misallocation of funds. FIDE also sanctioned the then-president of the BCF IM Silvio Danailov, Topalov's former coach, and two other chess officials.

A complaint to the Court of Arbitration for Sport followed during which Danailov, Topalov's former coach, came in for criticism after he told a panel that the issue was "bullshit". The Bulgarian appeal was dismissed in April 2017.

Three years ago, FIDE's General Assembly voted again to permanently expel another incarnation, the Bulgarian Chess Federation 1928. FIDE's next motion in that meeting was to approve the admission of The Bulgarian Sports Chess Federation as a new Member Federation of FIDE, currently led by GM Milen Vasilev.

Meanwhile, the rival federation recognised by Bulgaria's government is called the Bulgarian Chess Federation 2022.

Flagging A Problem

The resulting standoff has created uncertainty over who legitimately represents Bulgarian chess internationally and, crucially, who can send a team to September's FIDE Chess Olympiad.

For elite players, that uncertainty is a serious problem.

Speaking publicly about the situation, Salimova said she has already received official approaches from other countries to play for them. She says she turned them down because she wants to continue representing Bulgaria, but admits she may have no choice if she wants to play at the Olympiad.

That possibility would have seemed unthinkable only a few years ago.

At 23, Salimova is not just Bulgaria’s strongest female player; she is arguably the country’s most recognisable chess ambassador. Her World Cup breakthrough in Baku made international headlines and inspired a new generation of Bulgarian players. Since then, she has remained a fixture at the top level, competing in the Candidates and continuing to deliver strong results in major European events.

At the European Women's Chess Championships in May, Salimova finished in a four-way tie for second place behind the surprise winner 15-year-old WFM Anastasiia Hnatyshyn of Ukraine. Due to the tiebreak criteria, Salimova finished the event in fourth place.

The broader concern for Bulgarian chess is obvious. Talented players need a strong federation to emerge on the world stage.

Bulgaria is another sad example of a once proud chess nation not functioning.